Agreed - some of that is ice time related, some of it is him just playing better. I don't think we can expect 14.3% anymore, although Kovalchuk is weird in that he typically shoots better at even strength - I think back then he was flying the zone a lot more.

His shooting%s have all been lower since coming to NJ...I think 13% or less is what we can probably expect going forward. Like you and others pointed out, unless we look it up, we also don't know how many backup goalies he was facing as a Thrasher...he's likely facing tougher goalies now.

0

THE NHL MUST LOVE THE DEVILS - from who else? A RANGER fan![Mark Messier]: A big, bald attention whore with a stupid Easter Island-lookin face. - from who else? DaneykoIsGod!

Even when Marty comes back maybe Larry should put Clemmensen to be on the goal during the shootouts.Can the coach do that ? Switch the goalies 5 seconds to go in overtime? - Most priceless quote ever posted on a message board.

Martin Brodeur: THE MOST ALL-TIME WINS!, 12 straight seasons of 30+ wins, 3 Stanley Cups, 4 Vezina Trophies, and zero respect from too many so-called Devils "fans" who are either too young or too bandwagon to remember the much darker days of Sean Burke, Craig Billington, Bob Sauve, Alain Chevrier, and the talented but overwhelmed Chico Resch, among many others.

It's easy to support a great player when he's playing at his very best. It takes a true fan to support that same player during those rare moments and stretches when he's not. Babe Ruth went 0-4 some games, and sometimes Wayne Gretzky was held pointless. There may be such a thing as greatness, but no such thing as absolute perfection every single night.

#30 FOREVER!

20 out of 1,946 njdevs.com members agree: CR1976 is the Most Knowledgable Poster of 2008! Victory is mine...oh yes, victory is mine!

Well broad brush strokes me says: Kovalchuk is starting to see gains from the time and energy he's been investing in becoming a more complete player. Of course he's not there but I think the forward momentum is getting apparent. I think he's just getting into a zone where, I personally hope, he's poised to break-out. Of course I think it's a mental place he's getting more and more secure with. I think he'll have the nerve to take it up a notch. That has always been my hope for him. But it's my hope for everyone - it's just the way I think.

well -- in all honesty I dont think Kovalchuk is the break-out kind of guy. I think he's steady and will continue slowly progressing forward at the same rate he has been. I say slowly but in fact it's a fast clip, you see improvements in half seasons chunks - at least that's what it feels like to me.

Wouldn't that just be factual?It's assumptions you make from statistics that could lead you to say arguable things.

I think it's unclear language. Kovalchuk scores goals on a higher percentage of his shots at even strength than on the 5 on 4 power play - this is pretty much an indisputable fact. The reasoning is simple enough, he's playing the point and often shooting from farther away from the net than he is at even strength. This doesn't mean he shoots 'worse', but according to the numbers, he does.

I think it's unclear language. Kovalchuk scores goals on a higher percentage of his shots at even strength than on the 5 on 4 power play - this is pretty much an indisputable fact. The reasoning is simple enough, he's playing the point and often shooting from farther away from the net than he is at even strength. This doesn't mean he shoots 'worse', but according to the numbers, he does.

I think it's unclear language. Kovalchuk scores goals on a higher percentage of his shots at even strength than on the 5 on 4 power play - this is pretty much an indisputable fact. The reasoning is simple enough, he's playing the point and often shooting from farther away from the net than he is at even strength. This doesn't mean he shoots 'worse', but according to the numbers, he does.

Then apparently we need someone to look at those statistics and get him off the point on the PP - I'd be happy if he was in the location where goals #2 or #3 occurred last night more often.

Coach DeBoer's kids go to the same school as my daughter, maybe I'll sneak them a note one morning...